The Winter Snow
by Anrheithwyr
Summary: James drags Lily outside in the middle of a snowstorm, all for a strange reason he won't tell her about.


_**Written for the 'If You Dare Challenge' by Slytherin Cat, using prompt # 188, Swiss chocolate. **_

_**Also written for the 'HP Potions Competition' by Black Boxed, using **__**Cupid Crystals**__** – Write about a proposal or a wedding. **_

….

"This is ridiculous." said Lily Evans, settling down on one of many cold rocks, perching like a small bird. She looked up at her boyfriend of seventeen months, crossing her arms. She scowled, noticing that he hadn't acknowledged her statement, but instead crouched down to brush his fingers across cold stone. "I'm cold, James. Let's go back home."

"Not yet. Just a little farther, we'll be there soon." James muttered, looking up at her and then swiveling his head around, looking for something. He smiled, picking up a rock as he got to his feet, and tossed it at a tree behind her. Lily frowned, shifting a little to keep warm. James seemed hyper than normal, like he'd had too much coffee recently-and he was also being _really _mysterious as of late.

"Be _where _soon? You haven't mentioned that part yet."

James smiled again, more of a smirk this time. "You're whining, Lils."

"My father will do more than whine at you if all you have of me to bring back my frozen body because you've killed me." James pulled her to her feet, waving Lily on; she rolled her eyes, but followed him, certain this would only lead to getting them both killed.

"Love you, too, Lils." They kept walking, Lily less eagerly. She was beginning to wish she had said '_no_' to James when he asked to go on a walk. It was December now, and snow was up to her ankles, despite the heavy boots she'd put on. Their cozy little flat was at least ten or twenty minutes down the road, and Lily was beginning to lose feeling in her fingers. She slipped a pair of gloves on, glaring at her boyfriend's head.

"I can feel your eyes boring into the back of my head, Lils." James said without turning around. "We're almost there, anyway. Give me five more minutes." Rolling her eyes, Lily grumbled to herself, but followed him anyway, figuring she'd probably get lost trying to head home. Lily Evans was many things, but a navigator she was not. Sirius used to joke that Lily would get lost around a Quidditch field.

"We're here!" said James proudly, waving his arms at a large green picnic blanket that stood out among all the snow and slush. There was a box sitting on the corner and firewood already stacked up. James pointed his wand at the wood, which floated into a pile and began burning cheerfully, turning from orange to green to purple. James handed her a cup of Swiss hot chocolate, which she slurped eagerly.

"Oh!" Lily said, gasping. "It's pretty!"

"Told you it'd be worth it."

Lily mock-glared at him before settling near the fire, admiring the fact the colours. "How'd you pull this off?"

"Some spell I found. So," he said, waving his arms around. "do you like it?"

"Yes." she admitted, kissing him on the cheek as he sat down. "But what was the point of all this? Normally, you wouldn't drag me all the way out here, in the snow, in December, for a picnic. It's not my birthday, it's not yours, it's only December 4th. Why are we doing this?"

"Can't I just be romantic every now and then?" asked James, making a hurt face before smiling again.

"Couldn't you be romantic inside, where it's warm and I don't feel like I'm going to freeze to death?"

"No."

"Okay, then."

"Want some wine?" Lily nodded and watched as James leaned over to pour a dark drink into a glass. His hands shook and he kept glancing around as if to make sure of something. He actually sloshed the wine, sending it splashing to the snow below, leaving a dark spot, almost like blood.

"Are you nervous, James Potter?"

"Nervous?" he gave a small, shaky laugh, running his hands through his hair. Lily raised an eyebrow, having figured out that this was his 'nervous habit' long ago. "Me?" he ran his hands through his hair again. "No, not nervous, not me. Of course not. Why would I be nervous?"

"You're rambling. And your hair?" she pointed to his head, where he was,_ once again_, nervously mussing up his hair. "You only do that when you're panicking about something. Is something going on? You didn't drag me all the way out here for a romantic dinner just to tell me you're going on some mission for the Order, did you? Because that would be stupid."

"No, no. Nothing for the Order, this time. I, uh, brought you...out here..." he kept glancing around before standing up. "Come on, follow me."

"Again? Where are we going, _now_, James?"

"It's a surprise."

"And you're still nervous. You're still messing with your hair."

"Oh. Sorry." he touched it again, eyes flitting from side to side. Lily began to grow anxious herself, wondering if something was going to happen to them.

"God, James, are you okay? Is something going on?" asked Lily, "You're acting like we're about to be attacked or something."

"Or something," James mumbled under his breath. "Definitely 'or something'."

"What?"

"Nothing. Just...I want to show you something. It's around the corner, just come on." Feeling rather worried, Lily followed James through snow-covered trees, watching as he mussed up his hair every few seconds, mumbling to himself.

"Here we are." he said finally, pointing to a small hill. "Well? Climb on up!"

"What the hell are we doing out here, James? You're dragging me around the woods, panicking, acting all sweet one moment and the next like you've done something. Have you done something wrong? I'm getting kind of worried and-" she stopped, staring at the bright red flowers before her. Roses, probably hundreds of them, spelling out her name. And not just her name.

_LILY, WILL YOU MARRY ME? _in bright red roses across the snowy field. She turned around to see a nervous, smiling James looking back at her. He waved a hand at the flowers then shrugged.

"Well?"

"Well _what_?"

"There's a question at hand...?" he gave her another nervous glance, hands up in his hair, waiting.

"Oh...oh." she felt rather stupid, looking between the flowers and James. "Oh. Oh." It was romantic and it was completely stupid. There were flowers spelling out a question in front of her, and her head was spinning. _James is an idiot_. But he was also extremely romantic, Lily had to give him that much.

"Is that all you're going to say?"

"No. I mean...yes...wait. Um, yes I'll marry you."

"You will?" asked James, suddenly very excited. "You will?!" he asked again, much louder. He enveloped her in a hug, swinging her around and laughing. "I'm getting married!" he yelled to the flowers. "I'm getting married!"

"Yes, yes you are." said Lily, laughing slightly.

"I'm getting married to the most amazing and beautiful and smart girl in the entire universe!" James nearly sang, swinging Lily around again.

"James, just promise me something?"

"Yes? Anything!"

"Don't ever do this again. I'm freezing."

"Oh...oh, yeah. Of course."

"Do you even have a ring?"

"Yeah. It's in...my...drawer back at the...flat..."

"Lovely," Lily said, laughing, pulling her boyfriend, no, her _fiancé _into another kiss. "Very lovely, Mr. Potter."

"I can show it to you when we get back."

"That'll be a very good idea, James. You should do that."

"So, did you like all this?" he asked, giving her a sheepish, nervous look.

"It's cold, James. Take me home."

"Okay. Are you mad at me?"

"No. This was cute. Really cute. I liked it, it was cute. The walk down here was...annoying, but I enjoyed it. I think I'd go most anywhere with you, James. It's just...don't do this again."

"Alright. We could always get married at the beach."

"In the summer."


End file.
